SECOND SEED Roger Federer and home favourite Lleyton Hewitt

Second seed Roger Federer and home favourite Lleyton Hewitt remain on collision course at the Australian Open, but for them to meet in the last 16 both will have to overcome teenagers with bright futures.

Greg Rusedski’s hopes of escaping suspension following a positive test for nandrolone are not thought to hang on the manner in which the tribunal is formed.

TIM HENMAN stormed into the second round of the Australian Open with a convincing victory over Frenchman Jean-Rene Lisnard but the maelstrom of misery which has engulfed Greg Rusedski continues.

Greg Rusedski’s Australian Open campaign is over after he suffered a straight-sets first round defeat to Spaniard Albert Costa at Melbourne Park.

The year-end battle for the world number one spot between Juan Carlos Ferrero and Andy Roddick moved closer to centre stage on Monday night at the Paris Masters Series event.

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO broke his Grand Slam duck and ensured the French Open men’s singles crown stayed in Spanish hands with yesterday’s 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Dutch newcomer Martin Verkerk.

Spain‘s Juan Carlos Ferrero won the French Open men‘s singles title today, defeating unseeded Dutchman Martin Verkerk 6-1 6-3 6-2 in a one-sided final.

Juan Carlos Ferrero cruised into the French Open final with a straight-sets defeat of fellow Spaniard Albert Costa.

SPANISH grit prevailed at Roland Garros yesterday as defending men’s champion Albert Costa and the player he beat to win last year’s French Open final, Juan Carlos Ferrero, clawed their way through to a semi-final rematch.

ALBERT COSTA retained his position at the head of the Spanish Armada when he became one of four Spaniards to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open yesterday.

Lleyton Hewitt had to dig deep into his reserves of tenacity and bravery to squeeze into the third round of the French Open.

THE future and the past were on display at the French Open as Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt roared into the second round while former men’s champion Michael Chang bade a fond — but tearful — farewell to the Roland Garros crowds.

World number one Lleyton Hewitt may be the top seed, but the Australian faces a massive task to claim his first French Open title.

Unseeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov produced one of the biggest shocks of the clay court season by knocking out third seed Carlos Moya 6-4 7-6 (7/4) to advance to the quarter-finals of the Telecom Italia Masters in Rome.

ANDRE Agassi swept into the Australian Open third round as Venus Williams donned her best jewellery to produce a sparkling victory.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI became the first women’s defending champion in Australian Open history to be knocked out in the first round in a dramatic opening day upset yesterday.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI'S preparations for next week's Australian Open were halted yesterday when she was beaten 4-6 6-4 7-5 by Russian Tatiana Panova in the second round of the Sydney International.

Top-seed Roger Federer advanced to the second round of the Qatar Open by beating qualifier Andrei Stoliarov 6-2 6-7(4-7) 6-4.

Lleyton Hewitt celebrated ending the season as world number one by handing Marat Safin his third straight defeat at the Masters Cup in Shanghai.

There is only one question on the mind of Lleyton Hewitt. Does he have enough fuel in the tank to be crowned world number one for the second straight year?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT is pursuing a dream in New York and displayed vintage form to begin her US Open challenge yesterday.

WIMBLEDON champion Lleyton Hewitt has been given permission to skip the final day of Australia's Davis Cup play-off against India in September to live out a sporting fantasy and play for his beloved Adelaide Crows Australian Rules Football team.

Albert Costa blew away fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in four sets to taste victory in the French Open final in Paris.

Albert Costa knows he will have to be at his swashbuckling best tomorrow if he is to defeat compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero in the French Open final and lift the coveted Musketeers Cup for the first time in his career.

Men’s Singles Semi-finals: (11) Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa) bt (2) Marat Safin (Rus) 6-3 6-2 6-4

Albert Costa, the 20th seed, won his all-Spanish clash against 18th seeded Alex Corretja to advance to the first Grand Slam final of his career to date.

Albert Costa survived some nervous moments today against Guillermo Canas to reach the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

Top seed Lleyton Hewitt and defending champion Gustavo Kuerten have crashed out of the French Open.

Great Britain were handed a victory over Germany in the ARAG ATP World Team Championship when Lars Burgsmuller was forced to retire from the doubles match in Dusseldorf.

Gustavo Kuerten slipped back into his recent losing habit as he bowed out of the Masters Series event in Paris.

Serena Williams eased into the semi-finals of the US Open early this morning when she won a tense and spectacular battle of the power girls.

World number one Gustavo Kuerten became tennis’s great escapologist early this morning to scrape through an extraordinary US Open third round match with Max Mirnyi.

Tim Henman overcame the loss of the second set to beat Albert Costa and advance to the second round of the Masters Series event in Rome.

All England Club officials are fighting the risk of boycott from this season’s Wimbledon Championships - by opening negotiations with rebel players.

Tim Henman is "quietly confident" of maintaining his momentum on his least favourite surface as he prepares to continue his clay court campaign in Rome.

Tim Henman is through to the quarter finals of the Masters Series tennis tournament in Monte Carlo.

Tim Henman insists he is in no rush to find a new coach as his searing form continues in Monte Carlo.

Tim Henman continued his impressive clay court form by breezing into the third round of the Masters Series in Monte Carlo.

Top-seed Gustavo Kuerten cruised through a first-round victory in the Mexican Open defeating Spain's Felix Mantilla 6-4, 6-1.

Sweden's Thomas Enqvist and Spaniard Albert Costa have been forced to pull out of the Australian Open through injury.